Woman with knives killed after charging at officers, Lenoir police say

LENOIR, N.C. — A woman who charged at officers with knives was killed by police Tuesday, the Lenoir Police Department confirmed.

It happened before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at a home on Starcross Road. Police said they were called for a medical response that possibly included a drug overdose.

Police said when they arrived, they tried to reach a woman in the home to see if anyone needed medical help. They said they tried to talk to her but she got agitated and showed officers two knives.

Lenoir police said officers asked her repeatedly to drop the knives, but she refused to cooperate. One of the officers used his Taser to stun the woman, who dropped the knives for a moment before retrieving them and charging at officers, according to police. She charged the officers in a narrow hallway.

One of the officers shot the woman, police said. She was taken to the hospital in Lenoir but died from her injuries on the way there, investigators said.

The Lenoir Police Department confirmed none of its officers were hurt.

Family members confirmed to Channel 9′s Ken Lemon the woman was 46-year-old Shellabell Tester.

The involved officer, who has not been identified, will be placed on administrative leave while the department investigates the shooting. Agents with the State Bureau of Investigation are also investigating, which is also standard procedure.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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